Lighting fixture



Aug. 17 1926. I 1,596,725

c. E.'FE RREE LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Dec. 9, 1924 IVENTOR.

,J Platentedi Aug. 17, 1926.

UNITED STATES cnannncn nnnon rnnnnn, or

IBBYN MAWR, PENNSYLVANIA.

. Maurine FIXTURE.

- Application filed DecemberQ, 1924. Serial No. 754,707..

My invention relates to semi-indirect lighting fixtures and it has forits general object to provide a novel construction of fixture in whichsimplicity and efficiency are combined in a high degree.-

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in thedetailed electric lig tprojects, as indicated. The

suitable means, only two description thereof which follows or will beapparent from such description.

In order that the invention may be readily understood and its practicaladvantages fully appreciated reference'may be had to the accompanyingdrawing in which I have illustrated certain convenient forms ofembodiment of the same. However; it will be understood that theinvention may be embodied in other forms of construction than thoseshown and that changes in the details of construction may be made withinthe scope of the claims without departing from the principle thereof. y

In the drawing,'Fi 1 is a view in sectional elevation of a xtureembodying the said invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing a modified construction of fixtureembodying the said invention; and

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of a modified construction of electriclight bulb.

Referring to the drawing :1 designates a bowl-shaped member or shade oftranslucent materialwhich may be relatively shallow as illustrated. Itis provided at its center with an opening 2 through which the lower endortion of the glass bulb 3. of an upper edge of the opening 2preferablyshould be surrounded by a raised portion 4 about one-eighth ofan ifich in thickness or height in order to prevent too high abrightness of the bowl near the lamp. The inner surface of the bowlshould have a gradual curve from the center outwardly and upwardly, asillustrated so as to cause it to receive equal amounts of light from theupper portion of the light source, whichcomprises an electric light'filament 5 within the bulb 3, the intention beingto provide a softlyluminous bowl of low and even brightness with a minimum" loss of light.Depending upon thedensity of this bowl the fixturecan be made eithersemi-indirect or indirect of the luminous 'bowl type. e a

The bowl-shaped member or shadel is supported by means of chains 10, orother ofwhich are shown. The electric light bulb-3 is adapted to beengaged with and. disengaged from a socket 11 in known manner which issupported by means of a chain 12 which is suspended from the lower endof a tubular member 13 which is attached to and projects from a ceilingor other structure 14, The upper ends of the .chains 10 are likewiseconnected to the tubular member 13.

The convex outer surface of the lower end portion of the bulb 3 isprovided with a coating 15 of silver, or other suitable material, whichmay be applied and secured thereto in any desired known manner. The bulb3 projects through the opening 2 to such point that the upper edge ofthe metal coating .15 is substantially flush with the adjacent insideedge of the bowl and consequently occupies a plane below the upper edgeof the rim portion 4.

In the construction as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the upper portion of theglass bulb employed is smooth and transparent so that the light rayswhich proceed directly from the electric light filament .5 and alsothose which are reflected from the inner concaved surface of the metalcoating 15 pass directly therethrough with little or no diffusion. a i

In the construction as illustratedin Fig. 1 no diffusing means isemployed and consequently the illumination of the ceiling of a room orother reflecting surface against which 'therlight is directed would notbe as uniform or as well diffused as the illumination whichwould' beproduced'by a structure such as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing inwhich the difi'using means is employed. Moreover in the construction asshown'in Fig. 1 shadow images of the electric light filament 5 and theportion of the structure directly associated therewith are likely to becast on the ceiling or other reflecting surface against which the lightis directed. Q y

- In the construction as shown in Fig. 2 ofthe drawing a difiusin shieldor shade 20 is employed which ;s ield flares outwardly from its upper toits lower end. The said shield is supported. upon the socket 11 to and.from which the bulb 3 is adapted to be attached and detached. The

'difl'using shield or shade 20 may consist of a suitable substance,preferably very thin, to render the same light diffusing. This shieldmay or may not be tinted blue for the purpose of correcting the light todaylight color.

The lower edge of the. shield or shade 2O islocated a short distancefrom the upper surface of the bowl-shaped member 1 while.

the electric light filament 5 is located a short distancebelow the upperedge of the metal coatingv 15 so that all of the light rays whichradiate to "the ceiling of a room or other surface from the electric.light filament 5 or are reflected to the ceiling from the metal coating15 must pass through the diffusing shield or shade 10; also the greaterportion of the light which illuminates the bowl-shaped member must passthrough the diffusing shield 20 which insures an even illumination ofsaid bowl-shaped member.

In Fig. 3 an electric light bulb is shown which is identical with thebulb shown in Figs. 1 and 2 except that the outer surface of the portionof the bulb above the upper edge of the metal coating 15 is lightlyetched or lightly frosted as indicated at 21. If the bulb shown'in Fig.3 be substituted for the bulb shown in Fig. 2 the shield or shade 20shown in the latter figure may be dispensed with because the etching 0rfrosting of the outer surface, as indicated at 21, operates to effectdiffusion of the light ra s from the filament 5.

It wi be seen that by my invention I am enabled to obtain greatilluminating efficiency by means of a unit of very simpleconstructionwhich may be 0 erated without loss of efliciency due to t eaccumulation of dirt or dust on the reflecting surface which iscompletely inclosed.

Having thus described my invention,-

l what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: a

1. A lighting fixture comprising a bowlshaped member of translucentmaterial having a central 0 ening therethrough, an electric light bulprovided with a filament which is adapted to be rendered incandescentand also provided upon the outer surface of its lower end portion with alight reflecting coating, the upper edge of which extends a shortdistance above the said filament, and the said bulb projecting mto thesaid opening to an extent to bring the upper ed e of the said coatinginto substantially ush relation with res ect to the adjacent innersurface of the sai bowlshaped member.

2. A lighting fixture comprising a'bowlshaped member of translucentmaterial,

which member is provided with a central openlng extendingtherethrough,an electric light bulb having a filament therein which is adapted to berendered incandescent by the flow of electric current therethrough,

porting said dered incandescent by the and the outer surface of thelower endortion of said bulb being provided wit a metal coating theupper edge of which extends a short distance above the said filament,and means for supporting the said bulb with the lower end portionthereof projectin into the said opening, the upper edge of t c saidcoating being substantially flush with the inner surface of the adjacentportion of said bowl-shaped member.

3. A lighting fixture comprising a bowlshaped member of translucentmaterial, which member is provided with a central opening, and the innersurface of which bowl-shaped member curves gradually outcent the edge ofsaid opening, a light source, and a bulb surrounding the same, the outersurface of the lower end portion of which said member, a bulb having afilament located therein which is adapted to be rendered incandescent bythe passage of an electric current therethrough, and the said bulb alsohaving upon the outer surface of its lower end portion a coating ofmetal the inner surface of which is light reflecting, the upper edge ofsaid coating being located in a plane above the plane in which the saidfilament is located, and means for supporting the said bulb "with itslower end portion projecting into the said openin to such position thatthe upper edge of sai coating is in substantially flush relation withrespect to the adjacent inner surface of the said bowl-shaped member.

no wardly and upwardly from a point adja- 5. A lighting fixture.comprising a bowlv shaped member of translucent material, said memberbeing provided with an opening therethrough, means for supporting saidbowl-shaped member, a bulb having a source of light therein, the outersurface of the lower portion of said bulb being provided with a coatinthe interior surface of which is light re ecting, the upper edge ofwhich is located in a plane above that in which the light source islocated, means for supporting the said bulb with its lower end prOecting into the said opening, and means for diffusing the rays of lightwhich radiate from the said light source.

6. A lighting fixture comprising a bowlshaped member of translucentmaterial havingan openin therethrough, means for supowl, a glass bulbhaving a filament therein which 1s ada ted to be renow of electriccurrent therethrough, a metal coating upon the outer surface of thelower end portion of the said bulb, the upper edge of which is locatedWithin a plane above the said filament, means for supporting the saidbulb with its lower end 'projecting into the said opening to a positionsuch that the upper edge of said coating occupies a plane substantiallycoincident with the'plane of the adjacent portion of the inner surfaceof said bowl-shaped member, and a diffusing shield surrounding the said"bulb with its lower edgelocated in such relation to the upper edge ofthe said coating that the rays of light which radiate from the saidfilament must impinge upon said shield before-they impinge upon theCeiling of a room or other structure in which the fixture may be locatedor upon the inner surface of said bowl-- shaped member. 1

7. A lighting fixture comprising a bowlshaped member of translucentmaterial having a central opening therethrough, the upper edge of whichis surrounded by an upwardly extending-rim, an electric light bulbrojecting through the said opening, the ower portion of said bulb beingprovided with a light reflecting coating the upper edge of which islocated in a plane coincident with the plane of the upper surface ofsaid bowl surrounding said rim and be low the upper edge of the saidrim, and a light source located within said bulb belo theupper edge ofthe said coating.

8. A lighting fixture comprising a shade of translucent material ofbowl-sha e having a central opening therethroug provided' with a rimaround its upper edge, an electric light bulb provided with a filamentwhich is adapted to be rendered incandescent, and also provided upon theouter surface of its lower end portion with a light reflecting coatinthe upper edge of which extends a short ment and occupies a plane adistance below the upper edge of the said rim, and a light diffusingmeans through which the rays which extend upwardly from the saidfilament pass, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have hereuntosigned my name this 19th day of November, 1924.

CLARENCE ERROL FERREE.

istance above the said fila-

